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Arizona Cardinals outside linebacker Josh Sweat has not been at OTAs so far, at least the parts that media members have seen. It is voluntary, and head coach Mike LaFleur is not concerned, but there are rumors that perhaps he is unhappy.
He reportedly requested a trade after former head coach Jonathan Gannon was fired. The Cardinals have reportedly received trade calls for Sweat.
This doesn't mean he is on the move, and we do not know if the Cardinals are even considering moving him, but what would be the financial implications of a trade?
Sweat's salary is only $9.78 million in 2026, all guaranteed. There are no guarantees remaining on his four-year, $76.4 million deal after 2026. He will make $17 million in 2027 and 2028.
However, trading him doesn't save the Cardinals much money because he received an option bonus of $7.22 million in March, and the cap hit for that is prorated.
If traded, it will happen after June 1.
They would save almost $10.9 million in cap space and incur more than $5.5 million in dead money. However, they would take on $16.5 million in dead money in 2027.
Now, whether it makes sense to trade him or not, that's a different story.
He was the Cardinals' leader in sacks in 2025 with a career-high 12. He is their only consistent pass-rushing threat. His contract is reasonable, and he is the type of player you want on the roster to get better.
So unless he simply doesn't want to play for the Cardinals and will be a problem, perhaps it isn't a good idea to move him.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: The salary cap implications of potential Josh Sweat trade
Continue reading...
He reportedly requested a trade after former head coach Jonathan Gannon was fired. The Cardinals have reportedly received trade calls for Sweat.
This doesn't mean he is on the move, and we do not know if the Cardinals are even considering moving him, but what would be the financial implications of a trade?
Salary cap implications for a Josh Sweat trade
Sweat's salary is only $9.78 million in 2026, all guaranteed. There are no guarantees remaining on his four-year, $76.4 million deal after 2026. He will make $17 million in 2027 and 2028.
However, trading him doesn't save the Cardinals much money because he received an option bonus of $7.22 million in March, and the cap hit for that is prorated.
If traded, it will happen after June 1.
They would save almost $10.9 million in cap space and incur more than $5.5 million in dead money. However, they would take on $16.5 million in dead money in 2027.
Now, whether it makes sense to trade him or not, that's a different story.
He was the Cardinals' leader in sacks in 2025 with a career-high 12. He is their only consistent pass-rushing threat. His contract is reasonable, and he is the type of player you want on the roster to get better.
So unless he simply doesn't want to play for the Cardinals and will be a problem, perhaps it isn't a good idea to move him.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: The salary cap implications of potential Josh Sweat trade
Continue reading...
